Political power for people Before polluters - Climate Hawks Vote reacts to Bernie Sanders' climate plan

We ranked Bernie Sanders atop the Climate Hawks Vote scorecard last April, and his comprehensive climate plan builds on his record in the U.S. Senate. We agree wholeheartedly with Sanders’ goal of putting people before polluters. We agree that science-denying polluters must be brought to justice for destabilizing our climate for their profit. And most of all, we share his view that our political system must be cleaned of polluter influence.

For those who believe that Sanders’ plan is politically unrealistic because of our Koch-infested Republican Congress, we say this: change the political calculus and join us in electing climate hawks at all levels of government in 2016.

Sanders’ plan isn’t perfect. We believe that America can—and must— move faster to achieve the goal of 100% clean energy that Sanders sets. More needs to be said about how our agricultural, infrastructural, and financial systems need to transform. And the millions of Americans who have already suffered from climate and fossil-energy disasters need their calls for justice to be heard. But he’s nailed the critical challenge: shifting political power away from the fossil fuel industry and toward a better future.

About Climate Hawks Vote: We're a grassroots-funded organization building political power for the climate movement. Hatched in 2014, we endorsed 17 candidates and won 11 of those races. We hold politicians accountable through a sophisticated scorecard tracking not only votes, but also leadership and public engagement on climate. Our board of directors includes Bill McKibben and Jigar Shah.